Indian J. Hill Farmg. 14 (1) ..110 - 112 2001
EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS ON GROWTH AND SEED YIELD IN SALVIA (Sa/via Sp/endens)
H. S.
Bawejaand
A. S Panwar*Horticultural Research Station, Kandaghat (H.P.)
Seed production of ornamental flowers is a lucrative business as the return per capita is much higher than other traditional crops. Seed production of seasonal annuals has been taken up commercially by farmers of Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka Maharastra and Himachal
pradesh. However, the growers are facing problem in adjusting the cropping pattern for the rest of the season. Very little information is available on growth and flowering of salvia (Salvia splenens) using different spacing and varieties but so far seed production potential of salvia has not been started. Keepign this fact in view the present invetigation was undertaken on Salvia splendens, a commercially summer season annual, under sub-temperate condition of Himachal Pradesh, to find out the optimum nutrition level for its better growth and seed production.
The experiment was conducted at Regional Horticultural Research Station, Bajaura (Kullu) of Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, H. P. during the year 1992 on a well drained sandy loam soil under irrigated conditions. Thirty days old seedlings of variety Scarlet Wueen of Salvia splendens were transplanted on 20 April at a spacing of 40 x 30 cm in a randomised block design with three replications. Twelve treatment consisting of four levels of nitrogen i.e.
No-O
g;N1 = 20 g; N2 = 30 g and N3 = 40 g/m2 and three levels of
phosphorus i.e. Po=
0 g; P1=
15 g; and P2=
30g/m were used. Observations on plant height,
plant spread, number of secondary branches plant, number of pods plant and seed yield were
recorded. The plant height and plant spread were measured at the time of first picking. The
pod numbers per branch were counted manually. The full mature seeds were harvested when
the pods showed the sign of dryness and splitting. Seedlper net plot area was weighted after
proper cleaning.
N3 = 40 g/m2 and three levels of
phosphorus i.e. Po=
0 g; P1=
15 g; and P2=
30g/m were used. Observations on plant height,
plant spread, number of secondary branches plant, number of pods plant and seed yield were
recorded. The plant height and plant spread were measured at the time of first picking. The
pod numbers per branch were counted manually. The full mature seeds were harvested when
the pods showed the sign of dryness and splitting. Seedlper net plot area was weighted after
proper cleaning.
It is evident (Table 1) that application of nitrogen had a significant influence on plant height. Maximum plant height (72.13 cm) was recorded when nitrogen was applied with 30g1 m2 which was significantly higher than the plant height 69.66 cm and 67.57 cm when nitrogen levels were applied @20g/m2 and 40 g/m2, respectively. The plant height was found to be unaffected due to the application for phosphorus. The plant spread of 46.20 cm and 47.28 cm was observed when the nitrogen level of 20g/m2 and phosphorus level of 15g/m2, respectively were applied. With further increase in phosphorus level, plant spread decreased. The results are in close conformity with the findings of John et al. (1986) in pansy. The application of nitrogen had improved the plant growth due to increased synthesis of protein and protoplasm (Wandleigh,1957).
"Present address .. ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umroi road, Umiam - 793 103
110
Q
Application of nitrogen and phosphorus significantly enhanced the secondary branches, pod number and seed yield. Application of nitrogen and phosphorus @20g/m2 and 15g/m2, respectively, significantly increased branch number overthe control. The values were 17.78 cm with N1 level and 19.12 cm with P1level. Similarly, pod number per plant were maximum (148.20) at N21evel as compared to control. The phosphorus application @ 30g/m2 resulted in maximum number of pod(153.261 plant) as compared with 145.89 podslplant at P11evel. The seed yield 42.03 g/m2 was recorded to be maximum with N2level, however, further increases in nitrogen level, the seed yield to decreased to 38.62 g/m2from N2to N3.The increase in seed level of nitrogen upto 30 g was mainly due to increase in plant height and spread, which further encourage the production of branches and pods. Similar findings have been reported by John et at. (1986) in pansy. The data presented on yieldlper plot revealed that it was heightest (42.67 gm2) at P11evel and lowest (39.56 g/m2) at P2level. This could be attrtbutedtto the fact that phosphorus playas key role in plant metabolism and structure. Similar are the fincdin€lsof Broschat (1979). It can therefore, be concluded that phosphorus upto 15g/m2 is beneficial for higher seed yield of salvia.
The interaction of nitrogen and phosphorus significantly improved plant height and spread which ultimately influence seed yield (Table 2). Maximum plant height i.e. 74.30 ern was recorded in treatment combination N2P1whereas the plant spread was maximum (48.96 ern) at N1P1 level. Significant differences in secondary branches, pod number and seed yield were also observed due to interaction between different nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The maximum secondary branches (20.561plant) and seed yield (49.67g/m~ were record with N2Pl'Maximum podlplant 158.67) was recorded with N1P2levels. The result are in conformity with the findings of Jana and Pal (1991) who recorded maximum growth of plants, more number of flowers and seed yields due to combined application of 20 g nitrogen, 10g phosphorus and 10 g potash per m2 in cosmos
REFERENCES
Arora, J. S. and J. Singh, (1980) In-National Seminar on Production Technology of Commercial FowerslCrops, Coimbator, pp. 83-84.
Chandran, K.v. (1982). Evaluation of selected flowering annuals for their seed production potential in Pujnab. M.Sc. Thesis, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
Broechat,
T.
K. (1979).J.
Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 104: 784 - 751.Jans, B. K. and
A.
Pal, (1991) Indian Agric., 35: 113-118.John,
A.
Q.; S.S. Saini and P. P. Sharma, (1986) Progressive Hort., 18 :249-255.Saini, YR. and S. Sawhney, (1983).
J.
PI. Physiol., 26: 326-329111
Table 1. Effedt of interaction N x P on plant growth seed yield attributes in salvia
Treatment Plant height Plant spread Secondary Pod Seed
On an Branches! Number!plant Yieldlm2 (g)
Plant
No
70.56 42.36. 16.67 135.67 40.76
N20
69.66 45.29 17.78 146.08 40.98
N~
72.13 45.12 . 17.21 148.20 42.03
N40
67.57 46.20 17.56 146.46 38.62
COO.05 0.93 0.96 1.02 9.86 2.69
Po
72.16 46.56 18.16 150.57 40.89
P'5
71.96 47.28 19.12 145.89 42.67
P30
70.60 46.78 17.58 153.26 39.56
CO 0.05 0.82 0.84 0.88 8.36 2.24
Table 2. Effect of interaction N x P on plant growth and seed yield attributes in salvia
Treatment Plant height Plant spread Secondary Pod Seed
On an Branches! number! Plant yieldlm2(g)
Plant
NaPo
72.56 42.78 18.67 138.68 43.08
NOP'5
71.20 43.16 18.67 139.33 42.67
NoP30
76.78 45.79 15.66 141.67 39.33
N20PO
69.67 45.60 18.67 143.56 42.20
N20P'5
71.56 48.96 19.78 147.23 45.46
;;
N20P 30
71.48 45.92 18.98 158.67 39.67
N~Po
72.96 45.33 17.36 156.22 43.86
N30P'5
74.30 45.70 20.56 142.96 49.67
N30P30
73.52 46.43 15.76 156.08 40.86
N40PO
71.70 46.97 19.56 156.22 41.76
N40P'5
67.52' 47.08 18.67 146.44 38.46
N40P 30
